Garment with a fluid heating system



C. H. HANKS GARMENT WITH A FLUID HEATING SYSTEM Oct. 22, 1968 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 28, 1967 Oct. 22, c. H. HANKS 3,406,678

GARMENT WITH A FLUID HEATING SYSTEM 1 Filed Aug. 28, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 //V (new 70/? [ZOV/J H HAMAS ran/v5 rs Oct. 22, 1968 c. H. HANKS 3,406,678

GARMENT WITH A FLUID HEATING SYSTEM Filed Aug. 28, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 //v 1 54/70? ay/6 f/wwas Oct. 22, 1968 c. H. HANKS 3,406,678

' GARMENT WITH A FLUID HEATING SYSTEM Filed Aug. 28, 1967 5 SheetS Sheet 4 Oct. 22, 1968 C. H. HANKS GARMENT WITH A FLUID HEATING SYSTEM Filed Aug 28, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 F .11. M 150 A36 /42 e Hm V N 5 United States Patent 3 406,678 GARMENT WITH A FLUID HEATING SYSTEM Clovis H. Hanks, 121 Pikeview Drive, Beckley, W. Va. 25801 Filed Aug. 28, 1967, Ser. No. 663,893 9 Claims. (Cl. 126208) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A garment is provided with a lightweight heating system that operates at low pressures and comprises a heating unit, hand pump, coils secured to the garment and supply valves intermediate the coils and the hand pump to regulate the flow of fluid in the various coils. The heating unit and pump are carried by a strap, which passes over the shoulder of the operator, and the fluid lines leading from the pump to the supply valves and from the return manifold to the heating unit are provided with snap fittings which permit the pump and heating unit to be quickly and easily uncoupled from the rest of the heating system when the system is not in use. A unique tank in the heating unit holds the fluid of the system while it is being heated. The tank is provided with a finned centrally located heating tube and a thermostatically controlled alarm which warns the operator if the temperature of the fluid goes above the desired operating level so that the burner flame of the heating unit can be properly adjusted.

Brief description of the invention The invention relates to a garment having a miniature heating system and, in particular, a low pressure heating system. The heating system is both lightweight and permits great freedom of movement thereby making the use of such a garment very practical for many outdoor activities in cool climates since, unlike heated suits of the prior art, the operator is neither burdened nor are his movements impeded by the present invention. In addition, since the heating system of the present invention operates at low pressures without vaporizing the fluid, while many of the prior art systems operate at high pressures and vaporize the heating fluid, the danger of injury due to a malfunction of the system is greatly reduced.

The heated garment of the present invention is provided with a heating unit, hand pump, distribution valves, heating coils, a vest with leg extensions and a hat. The heating coils are mounted on the vest, extensions and the hat with the flow of heating fluid through the various coils being regulated by the distribution valves. The hand pump, which is utilized to circulate the heating fluid through the system, and the heating unit are detachably connected by snap fittings to the rest of the heating system so that the pump and heating unit can be removed from the rest of the system when the system is not in use.

The heating unit of the garment has an outer insulated jacket, a burner and heating fluid tank mounted within the jacket and a fuel tank that is carried on the outside of the jacket thereby making the heating unit self-contained. The heating fluid tank of the unit has a unique finned heating tube and is provided with a thermostatically actuated electric buzzer which warns the operator of the system if the fluid in the tank goes above the operating level.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a garment, with a miniature lightweight heating system,

which permits the wearer great freedom of movement I 3,406,678 Patented Oct. 22, 1968 a heating unit and pump which can be readily and quickly detached from the rest of the heating system when the operator is driving, in a building or during other periods when the heating system is not in use.

Another object is to provide a heated garment with control valves for regulating the flow of the fluid to the various coils of the heating system to facilitate the operation of the system when it is first started and to enable the flow to certain coils to be reduced or stopped completely if desired.

A further object is to provide a heated garment with a low pressure heating system in which the fluid is not vaporized thereby eliminating the possibility of burns due to steam should there be a malfunction of the unit. The unit is also provided with a warning signal which is actuated if the temperature of the fluid in the system rises above the operating level.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a heated garment having a heating system with a fluid tank and burner designed in such a manner that there is no excessive heat in the oven area with the fluid in the tank being quickly heated to eliminate recovery problems when heated fluid is pumped out of the tank and cooler fluid is returned from the coils.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following disclosure when taken in combination with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 views (a) and (b) illustrate a front view and a back view respectively, of the heated garment as it would appear when being worn;

FIGURE 2 illustrates the vest of the heated garment with the heating system spread out showing the arrangement of the coils on the vest relative to each other and the distribution valves of the system;

FIGURE 3 illustrates the hat of the present invention as viewed from the bottom;

FIGURE 4 is a top view of the return manifold and distribution valves as mounted on the vest of the heated garment;

FIGURE 5 is a side view of the return manifold;

FIGURE 6 is a side view of the distribution valves;

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of the hand pump;

FIGURES 8 and 9 are top and side views respectively, of the heating fluid tank;

FIGURE 10 is a side view of the heating unit with the heating fluid tank removed;

FIGURE 11 is a top view of the heating unit substantially along lines 11-11 of FIGURE 10; and

FIGURE 12 is a perspective view partly in section of the burner.

Detailed description of the invention Referring to FIGURE 1 views (a) and (b), the miniature heating system, generally designated by reference character 20, comprises a vest 22 with upper leg extensions 24, 24; lower leg extensions 26, 26'; which may be buttoned to the upper leg extensions, and a hat 28. The vest, lower leg extensions and hat are all provided with coils and a heating unit 30 and pump 32 are provided for heating and circulating the fluid through the coils.

The sleeveless vest 22 is formed of canvas duck or some other similar material which is stretch resistant. The vest, as shown in FIGURES l and 2, is provided with arm openings 34, 34' and is folded transversely to form a front and back of the vest with the vertically-extending lateral edges of the vest being provided with buttons 36 and complementary button holes 38 for fastening the vest about the wearer. Upper leg extensions 24, 24' are provided adjacent the lateral edges of the vest and are sewn to the lower edge of the vest. The extensions extend to slightly above the kneecaps on each leg and the extensions are only wide enough to cover the front portion of the 'upper legs so that freedom of movement is assured.

As shown in FIGURE 1 views (a) and (b), two canvas duck lower leg extensions 26, 26 are provided to extend from the knees to the ankles. The cloth extensions are wide enough to wrap around the front portion of the lower legs and are provided with buttons 40 which can be secured to complementary button holes 42 located adjacent the lower edge of the upper leg extensions 24, 24'.

The hat 28 may be constructed of felt, aluminum, plastic or any one of numerous other materials utilized in hats. An interior lining 44 of asbestos or cloth is provided for insulating purposes both with regard to heat and sound.

As shown in FIGURE 2, the vest is provided with a spiral back coil 46, a spiral front coil 43 over the left breast and spiral upper leg coils t 59' which are coupled to distribution valves 52 and return manifold 54. These coils and the other coils in the system are formed from flexible tubing made of rubber, aluminum, copper or similar materials and are stitched to the vest in the spiral patterns in such a manner that they lay relatively flat on the outer surface of the vest and vest extensions. While not shown, it is also contemplated that the coils 46, 48, 5t) and 50' can be covered by sewing a layer of material over the coils to further prevent the coils from shifting position and to add strength to the vest and extensions.

The lower leg extensions 26, 26 are provided with sinuous coils 56, 56' of flexible tubing which are stitched to the outer surface of the extensions. The inlet and outlet ends of the coils 56, 56' are pressed on and frictionally retained by the extensions of distribution tees 58 and 60. These tees are, in turn, connected by supply line 62 and return line 64 to the distribution valves 52 and the return manifold 54.

The hat 28 is provided with a spiral coil 66 which is stitched to the interior lining 44 of the hat. The inlet end of the line is coupled to distribution valves 52 and the outlet end of the coil is coupled to return manifold 54.

The master distribution valve 52 comprises four needle valves 70, '72, 74 and 76 mountedon a manifold 78 which is coupled to the pump 32. Each of the four valves is provided with a tubular extension 86, 82, 84 and 86 respectively, which are threadedly retained on the outlet ports of the needle valves. While manifold 73 is shown comprising a four-way coupling 88 and a three-way coupling 90, it is contemplated that the manifold can be made from one piece if desired. The return manifold 54, which is constructed in the same manner as manifold 78, comprises a four-way coupling 92 and a three-way coupling 94. The manifold is provided with inlet ports 96, 98, 100, 102 and an outlet port 104 which is coupled to the heating unit 31). Each of the inlet ports is provided with tubular extensions 106, 108, 110 and 112 which are threadedly retained in the inlet ports.

The inlet end of spiral back coil 46 is frictionally retained on tubular extension 80 while the outlet end of the coil is frictionally retained on tubular extension 106 of the return manifold. Frontcoil 48 and the upper leg c oils 50, 50 are spliced together or are made from one continuous tube. The inlet end of the tube for coils 48, 5t), 50 is frictionally retained on tubular extension 82, while the outlet end of the tube is frictionally retained on tubular extension 108 of the return manifold. The inlet end of supply line 62 for the lower leg coils 56, 56' is frictionally retained on tubular extension 84 of the distribution valve 52 while the return line 64 of the lower leg coils is frictionally retained on tubular coupling 110 of the return manifoldQThe inlet end of coil 66 is frictionally retained on the tubular extension 86 of the distribution valve while the outlet end of the coil is frictionally retained on tubular extension 112 of the exhaust return 4 manifold. With the above arrangement, by manipulating needle valves 71 72, '74 and 76, the How of heating fluid through the various coils and back to the heating unit can be controlled.

Manifolds 78 and 54 are fastened together by a metal band (not shown) with manifold 54 being directly behind manifold 78. The inlet port 114 of manifold 78 and the outlet port 104 of return manifold 54 are coupled through fluid lines 116 and 118, respectively, to the pump 32 and heating unit 30. As shown in FIGURES 5, 6, 7 and 9, lines 116 and 118 are provided with valved snap couplings 120, 126 which permit the pump 32 and heating unit 30 to be readily separated from the rest of the heating system. These valved snap couplings, which are commonly called Snap-Tite valved couplings or quick connective fluid line couplings, are conventional fittings such as those commonly used on air hoses and other similar apparatus wherein it is desired to facilitate the coupling and uncoupling of fluid or pneumatic lines. The insertion of extensions 122, 122' into the complementary seats of housings 124, 124 automatically opens the valves in extensions 122, 122. permitting the flow of heating fluid through the couplings 120, 120. When extensions 122, 122' and housings 124, 124 are uncoupled, the valves in extensions 122, 122. automatically close to prevent the loss of heating fluid from the coils.

The hand pump generally designated by reference character 32 is a conventional reciprocating hand pump which draws the heating fluid from the heating unit 30 through fluid line 126 and forces the fluid out through fluid line 116 into manifold '78. In the preferred form, fluid lines 116 and 126 are frictionally retained on tubular extensions 128 and 130 of the pump thereby forming a simple but reliable coupling between the fluid lines and the pump.

The heating unit 30 is carried on the left hip of the operator in a cloth bag 132 supported by a strap 134 which passes over the right shoulder. The bag 132 encloses outer jacket 136 and is provided with a flap over the oven door 138 of the jacket for reasons as will be explained hereinafter, a suitable moisture-proof flap to cover the top of heating unit 30 when needed and an aperture in the bottom which is aligned with an air vent in the oven of the heating unit.

The heating unit 30 comprises a liquid tank 140, a burner 142 and fuel tank 144 which are mounted within or secured to jacket 136 which can be made of aluminum or other similar materials. Jacket 136 is substantially rectangular in cross section and is lined with suitable insulation such as rock W001 146. A metal base 148 is secured to the lower end of the jacket by screws with the base extending outwardly beyond one end of the jacket to provide support for the fuel tank 144 as will be explained hereinafter. An oven, having sheet metal sides 150, protrudes upwardly from the metal base 148 to a height substantial-' the interior of the oven and the burner 142. The oven is A also porvided with an aperture 156 passing through the insulation 154 and the metal base 148 which is an air inlet for burner 142 located within the oven. The burner 142, which is a conventional propane burner, extends outwardly through the insulation 146, 152., 154 and an aperture in the side of jacket 136 and is coupled to a fuel line 158. I

The other end of fuel line 158 is coupled to control valve 160 on the top of fuel tank 144 which rests on base 148 and is secured by a spring clamp 162 to the jacket so that fuel tanks can be quickly and easily replaced. A metal valve guard 164 is riveted to jacket 136 to prevent accidental movement of valve handle 166 and to thereby insure that a desired setting of the burner flame is maintained. In the preferred form of the invention, propane fuel is utilized in the burner. However, it is contemplated that kerosene, alcohol or other combustibles can also be used along with suitable burners if desired.

A liquid or heating fluid tank 140 is mounted within jacket 136 directly above the oven with the bottom of the liquid tank resting on the upper edges of the oven sidewalls 150. The tank 140 is made of copper, aluminum or any metal able to withstand the temperatures produced in the heating unit and is provided with a vertically-extending, substantially centrally-located brass heating tube 168 which passes entirely through the tank and extends above the upper surface of the liquid tank. The heating tube 168 is located directly above the burner 142 and has aluminum fins 169 which extend outwardly from the tube into the interior of the tank to provide better heat transfer from the burner to the liquid with the tank. In addition, the upper end of the heating tube 168 is provided with an exhaust tube 170 of copper which is wrapped with asbestos (not shown). The exhaust tube 170 serves not only to direct the gases in a desired direction, but also provides a means which can be utilized to warm the hands of the operator when desired.

The upper end of the tank 140 has an outlet port having a tubular extension 172 and an inlet port having a tubular extension 174 which are connected to line 126 which leads to the pump and line 118 which leads to return manifold 54, respectively.

A short metal nipple 17 6 is located on the upper surface of tank 140 for the purpose of filling the tank with heating fluid which, in the preferred form of the invention, is a mixture of antifreeze, such as Prestone, and water. The nipple 176 is provided with a plug 178 of steel wool which prevents the heating fluid from flowing out of the tank while relieving any pressure which builds up within the tank due to the heating of the fluid.

A conventional temperature gauge 180 is threadedly mounted in an aperture on the upper surface of the tank to enable the operator to determine the exact temperature of the heating fluid within the tank. The tank is also provided with a conventional thermostat 182, which is threadedly secured within a well 184, extending into the tank 140 from the upper surface thereof and filled with the Isame fluid, antifreeze and water, which is utilized throughout the rest of the heating system. Contacts 186 are connected to the thermostat 182, as diagrammatically shown in FIGURE 10, in such a manner that expansion of the bellows 188 will cause the lower contact to engage the upper contact, thereby completing a circuit which actuates electric buzzer 190 which is secured to the side of the jacket 136 by means of metal band 192. The circuit comprises a battery 194, toggle switch 196, contacts 186, electric buzzer 190 and electrically conducting lead wires. Lead wires extend from the terminal of one contact to a terminal of the electric buzzer and from the terminal of the other contact to a terminal of the toggle switch. Lead wires, in turn, extend from the other terminal of the electric buzzer and the other terminal of the toggle switch to the opposite ends of the battery 194. With the above arrangement, when the contacts are closed due to a rise in temperature of the liquid in the tank, the buzzer is actuated warning the operator that the temperature of the heating fluid is above the operating level. The toggle switch, of course, enables the buzzer to be turned otf while the temperature of the fluid is lowered to the correct temperature.

Operation The cloth vest 22 is placed on the wearer or operator and may be worn as an outer garment, although it is preferred to have the vest under hunting clothes and trousers or under insulated coveralls. If the hat 28 is to be worn, the tubular extensions 86 and 112 are secured to needle valve 76 and inlet port 102 of return manifold 54 after which the ends of the coil 66 are mounted on the extensions. If the hat is not going to be used, needle valve 76 is turned off and a plug is threaded into inlet port 102 of the return manifold. If the lower leg extensions are to be worn, tubular extensions 84 and are secured to needle valve 74 and inlet port 100 of the return manifold 54 and supply line 62 and return line 64 leading from the lower coils are mounted on the extensions. If the lower leg extensions are not being used, needle valve 74 is turned off and a plug is threaded into an inlet port 100 of the return manifold.

The tank is filled with an antifreeze such as Prestone and water, the oven door 138 opened, the fuel control valve turned on and the windproof burner 142 ignited, after which the oven door is closed. Next, the strap of the cloth bag 132 is placed over the right shoulder with the heating unit in the bag resting on the left hip and the valved snap couplings are quickly snapped in place thereby connecting the heating unit 30 to the rest of the heating system.

Due to the unique'design of heating fluid tank 140 with its finned exhaust tube 170, the heating fluid within the tank is quickly heated by a low flame to the predetermined temperature of approximately 160 F. As the fluid is heated, it is pumped by hand pump 32 through the rest of the heating system. Of course, through the use of the needle valves of control valve 52, the flow of fluid through the rest of the system can be controlled 'with the fluid generally being directed to one coil at a time during the initial operation of the miniature heating system until all of the coils are filled with warm heating fluid. Then, the valves are individually reset so that the heating fluid flows at desired rates through all the coils as it is being pumped from the tank.

Of course, it is contemplated that if too much fluid is exhausted from the tank to fill the various coils during the'initial operation of the system, additional heating fluid can be added to the system to maintain the proper level of the fluid in the heating tank. However, since valved snap couplings 120 prevent the loss of heating fluid from the coils, this is not necessary unless the coils have been previously drained.

As indicated above, the fluid in the tank is generally heated to a temperature of 160 F. although the operating range is from 120 to F. Therefore, no high pressures are encountered in the operation of the system. However, as a safety precaution to prevent any pressure from building up in the system, the steel 'wool plug 178 in the filling nipple 176 prevents any pressure build-up due to the heating of the liquid in the tank.

A temperature gauge 180 is provided to indicate the temperature of the fluid within the tank 140 and, in addition, electrical b'uzzer is provided as a safety precaution to notify the operator when the liquid temperature of the tank rises above the operating temperature. With the toggle switch 196 in the on position, the buzzer is actuated when the contact points 186 close due to expansion of the bellows of thermostat 182. Once the buzzer is actuated, it continues to operate until the temperature is reduced to the operating level or until toggle switch 196 is turned off. If an operator feels that the fluid temperature is too high or if the buzzer has sounded, the temperature may be decreased by adjusting fuel control valve 160, by opening oven door 138 or by using both of the aforementioned methods at the same time.

When the operator is not using the system, he can easily disconnect the heating unit 30 and pump 32 from the rest of the heating system without any loss of fluid by disconnecting valved snap couplings 120, 120' and removing the strap of the carrying bag 132 from the shoulder. In addition, the propane or butane fuel cylinder or tank 144 can be quickly replaced by merely releasing spring clamp 162 and unscrewing the tank from fuel control valve 160 thereby permitting ealsy replacement of the fuel tank while in the field.

While the preferred form of the invention has been 7 shown and described, it is to be understood that all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A garment with a low pressure, fluid heating system comprising:

tank means mounted in an insulated carrying means,

said tank means being a reservoir for said fluid of said heating system, and said tank means having a supply port and a return port, fuel burner means mounted in said insulated carrying means adjacent said tank means, said fuel burner means for heating aid fluid in said tank means and said fuel burner means adapted to be connected to a supply of fuel,

pump means for circulating said fluid through said heating system, said pump means connected to said supply port,

coil means secured to said garment,

supply valve means connected to and intermediate said coil means and said pump means, said supply valve means regulating the flow of heated fluid to said coil means,

return manifold means connected to and intermediate said coil means and said return port of said tank means, and

first valved coupling means interposed between said supply valve means and said pump means and second valved coupling means interposed between said return manifold means and said return port for permiting said pump means and said carrying means with said fuel burner means and said tank means to be readily coupled to and uncoupled from the rest of said heating system without a loss of heating fluid from said coil means.

2. In the fluid heated garment of claim 1, the garment being a vest, the coil means being arranged in a flat spiral manner on said vest, and the insulated carrying means with said fuel burner means and said tank means being carried in a bag having a strap adapted to pass over the shoulder of the operator.

3. In the fluid heated garment of claim 1, the coil means comprising a back coil, a front coil and two upper leg coils, the flow of heating fluid to said back coil being controlled by a first supply valve means, and the flow of heating fluid to said front coil and said upper leg coils being controlled by a second supply valve means.

4. In the fluid heated garment of claim 3, a hat having coil means therein, the flow of heating fluid to said coil means in said hat being controlled by a third supply valve means.

5. In the fluid heated garment of claim 1:

a vest with upper leg extensions,

lower leg extensions secured to said upper leg extensions by means of buttons to enable the lower leg extensions to be removed when desired,

said vest having a back coil connected to a first supply valve means,

said vest having a frontcoil and two upper leg coils connected to a second supply valve means, and

said lower ,leg extensions havingcoils connected to a third supply valve means to enable the flow of fluid in the various coils to be independently controlled.

6. In the fluid heated garment of claim 1, the coil means comprising a plurality of coils, the supply valve means being needle valves, and a separate needle valve being provided for each coiland set of coils to enable a selective use of the coils and to enable the flow of fluid to be initially directed to one coil at a time until the heating system is in full operation.

7. In the fluid heated garment of claim 1, the fuel burner means being connected to a fuel tank secured to the insulated carrying means thereby making the heating system self-contained and a control valve means located intermediate said fuel tank and said fuel burner means to regulate the flow of fuel to said fuel burner means.

8. In the fluid heating garment of claim 1, said tank means having a substantially centrally-located verticallyextending heating tube passing therethrough, said heating tube having fins thereon which extend outwardly from said tube into the interior of said tank means and said tank means being mounted in said insulated carrying means with said heating tube located directly above said fuel burner means.

9. In the fluid heated garment of claim 1, the tank means having a thermostat mounted therein, said thermostat having thermostatically cotrolled contacts connected to a source of electric energy and an electric buzzer means, said contacts being closed by said thermostat when the temperature of the fluid in the tank means rises above a predetermined level activating said buzzer means to warn the operator before the fluid in said tank means becomes overheated.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,652,824 9/1953 Hopp 126-208 3,110,301 11/ 1963 Bricker 126-208 3,211,216 10/1965 Coleman et a1. -46 3,289,748 12/1966 Jennings 165-46 3,295,594 1/1967 Hopper 126-208 X FREDERICK L. MATTESON, J R., Primary Examiner.

E. D. FAVORS, Assistant Examiner. 

